John Singer Sargent: Life Imitates Art August 20, 2011

The Old Salt  Photo: T. Van Stein

         Cruisin' with my boys down to the Tall Ships Festival at the Channel Islands Harbor, We went aboard this one small Tall Ship. There near the stern of the ship was this man, sitting there with this straw hat affectively shading himself from the Sun.

It brought to mind a painting I saw one time in a Book called, "Sargent Abroad" which showed watercolors and oil paintings by the Master Artist John Singer Sargent.  All the paintings in the book were from travels in Europe and North Africa.

I was always amazed at how Sargent would crop the human figure in his paintings; placing them coming in to the format from below or from the sides of the format. He was merely using the figure, (or part of the figure) as an abstraction, a compositional device.  The lines and form of his subjects were of primary importance in order to move the viewers eye around the composition. Size and relative scale of shapes, dynamic diagonal lines, and harmonious color consistently made up his works of art.

I don't have to act from this photograph and create a painting to sell, but I suppose I could I. The most important thing is for me to recognize where I receive my inspiration from; the Master himself.  His art inspires imitation, or in my case, try to create an even better variation.

After all, we are living in the biggest room in the universe; the room for improvement.

La Dogana,  by  John Singer Sargent  1907

Santa Barbara Architecture, Twilight August 19, 2011

Fe, Fi, Faux, Fum, I see Quasi-Spanish going on.

Art of Sea Faring August 16, 2011

All I need to roam the seas is, "a tall ship and a star to steer her by." --John Masefield


For me, there's nothing more appealing than having the freedom to roam, and create art for art's sake.


www.thomasvanstein.net 

Grass Hopper Nocturne August 13, 2011

While driving to and the San Fernando Valley from Santa Barbara, sometimes two to three times a week while obtaining my Masters Degree I would spot intriguing subjects to paint along side the freeway.

I eventually got out to paint these pumping units or as I like to call them, "Grass Hoppers", near La Conchita, along with my friend and fellow Nocturne painter, Donn Longstreet, (Great Great Grandson of Confederate Gen. James Longstreet)

On Wednesday, November 18, 1998, It was a cold and quiet night. Except for the sound of the 101 Freeway and and the motors pushing the pumping unit, nothing stirred, but something was up!.

Donn and I got to the location and set up to paint, the grasshoppers were rocking up and down.  My challenge was going to paint a moving object so it looked correct. Just then, the grasshopper stopped moving, and remained still in that position the rest of the evening. I literally had a Still Life to paint.

We finished; exhausted, around 10 pm, packed up, and headed back to Santa Barbara. We could see the glow from a fire lighting the sky in Santa Barbara. Donn, an SB County Firefighter, learned Stearns Wharf was ablaze and burning up, so while I went on home to bed, Donn had to gear up, and go fight the fire on Stearn's Wharf for the rest of the night. Bummer for him. Bummer for Santa Barbara.

Smoke Shops Chiefdom August 10, 2011

Someone took a stump and carved this statue resembling a Pale-faced Native American Chief. Who knows how long ago, where, or when it was created, or how many coats of paint it has received, but there it was, staring timelessly out into space.

I find the whole concept of Wooden Totem Poles depicting the American Indian rather intriguing. Maybe it reflects a time when the Indians would be seen hanging around the Trading Posts bordering the new frontier.    After the Indians were rounded up and confined, and the wide spread belief that, "the only good Indian is a Dead Indian", was held by the multitudes expanding Westward in Manifest Destiny Mode, scarecrows like this (stereotypical savage heathen in a war bonnet)  were harmless replacements for the, "Real McCoy" so to speak.  Who knows what emotions it evoked in people...throughout time.

He looks like he wants to speak (or maybe send smoke signals), or cry a thousand tears; possibly from the fact he's stuck outside the barred windows of some seedy smoke shop in Downtown L.A.'s Arts District. 

The more I stared into his wooden nickel eyes, I imagined wanting to sit down with him, smoke a peace pipe, and listen to this grandfather's stories about what it was like to live on the land.


Smoke Shop Totem
Image: T. Van Stein
www.thomasvanstein.net

The Crystal Ball August 9, 2011

When living life on the edge, as an Artist, Visionary, or Ideatian I find myself looking deep within for the answers to my questions. The trouble is, with every answer comes a thousand more questions. So, after a while, I quit asking and just be.

Visiting the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History I came across this Anthropomorphic Oracle; Deep, Black, Shining, and Clear. This I shall use as tool to symbolize the intuitive portal to enlightenment; a conduit, transmitter, generating conductor for metaphysical transformation...and all that other esoteric woo woo hyperbole. 

Keep your eye on the ball

www.thomasvanstein.net

Find Art Stolen August 7, 2011

Meredeth Abbot "Thunderheads" 8x12 2011

I am in an art exhibition called, "Front Country" at the Faulkner Gallery, in Santa Barbara.  It is a collection of artists from the Santa Barbara OAK Group with paintings for sale depicting the front country of Santa Barbara. 50 percent of the proceeds of the sales are to go to benefit the Friends of Franklin Trail Project.

In the 21 years that we in the OAK Group have been together we've raised well over a million dollars for various organizations dedicated to preserving landscapes as open space.

On Thursday night, August 4, 2011 we had one of the paintings stolen from the exhibition.  This is the first time ever an original painting was taken in a heist, from one of our shows. The painting, "Thunderheads" by Meredeth Abbot. It was listed at $900.00, and was graced with a $200.00 Gold Frame.

The police have been notified. Security tapes are being reviewed. There is a remote chance it will be found.

Whomever it was who took this painting off the wall of the gallery had damn good taste in art, and a lot of Gaul stealing it right in front of others in the gallery appreciating the presentation.

Front Country will be on exhibit August 4-August 28, 2011 at the Faulkner Gallery in the Santa Barbara Public Library.